HAWICK 32 EDINBURGHACCIES 28

Hawick coach George Graham praised his players after his side’s first win of the season, but was left counting the cost of injuries to three key players, writes Atholl Innes.

Ruaridh Macleod was stretchered off with a suspected broken ankle while Dalton Redpath and Dom Buckley had to leave the field with injuries.

“There is a fair chance Macleod could be out for the rest of the season, Buckley could be out for some time, too, with a shoulder injury, and Redpath has more of a dead leg,” Graham said.

The winning score, deep into the injury time, was not

short of controversy as Lee Armstrong’s conversion was ruled out by referee Sam Grove White after both touch judges had raised their flags.

Callum Black touched down for Accies after five minutes before Deaglan Lightfoot levelled and tries from Shawn Muir and a penalty try and a score by Robbie Davis, with Bruce Mcneil in the sin-bin, put the hosts 24-14 ahead. Armstrong kicked two conversions and a penalty while Richard Mill was on target for Accies.

Armstrong added a second penalty and Black and George Spencer replied for Accies, Mill converting both, before the Hawick stand-off broke the unsuccessful run in the final minutes. However, Accies returned up the A7 with two bonus points.